Cyrus w



C. W. SALADEE.

ROLLER SKATES.

No.181,,(8 6 8. Patented Sept. 5, I876.

- UNITED STATES PATENT orrroa CYRUS W. SALADEE, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN ROLLER-SKATES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 181,868, dated September 5, 1876; application filed July 13, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it knownthat I, CYRUS W. SALADEE, of Washington, District of Columbia, have invented an Improved Parlor-Skate, of which the following is the specification:

The object of my invention is a parlorskate, constructed, as fully described hereafter, to afiord a steady bearin g, reduce weight and friction, and insure greater durability and increased efficiency. 7

In the drawing, Figure 1-is a side elevation of a parlor-skate embodying my improvements Fig. 2, an end view; Fig. 3, an inverted plan 5 and Fig. 4, a perspective view, showing one of the rollers.

A is the foot-piece, which is pivoted in any suitable manner to blocks a or, provided with studs or pivots b, on which vibrate frames B B, carrying the rollers C C. Blocks d, of rubber or elastic material, intervene between the foot-piece and the blocks a, limit the rocking movement of the foot-piece, and tend to maintain it in a horizontal position. The foot-piece may be pivoted directly to the roller-frames, or the blocks a may be parts of .a continuous frame, parallel with the toot-piece. Inwardlyprojecting arms f f of the frame B B are connected by a pin extending from'the arm f through a slot of the arm f, and a spring, h, passing through thelugs e e on thcframe. B is connected at the opposite end to the stud b, on which the frame B vibrates.

As the parts above described are similar in their operation to the similar parts of the skates heretofore patented by me. and especially of the skate for which application for Letters Patent was filed June 14, 1876, it will not be needful to describe their general features more fully. I will, therefore, proceed to point out the special features which constitute my improvements.

In the aforesaid skate the foot-piece was combined with frames, each adapted to carry one, two, or more rollers, and at least two rollers being absolutely needed when the tilting foot-piece was employed, as the rollers were so narrow that they would not afford a horizontal support for the frames when the footpiece was tilted,'but would also be inclined, and prevent the proper operation of the skate. By the use of two rollers, side by side on each frame, this defect was remedied; but it was necessary to use heavy frames, and the limited width of the separate bearings prevented the use of vitreous rollers. I effectually obviate all these objections by constructing each frame supporting the bearings of a single roller, C, of such a Width, approximating its diameter, that either roller will of itself support the skate in an upright position, and will maintain the frames horizontal, whatever may be the inclination to which the foot-piece is tilted. The face of the roller, instead of being round, is made flat transversely, affording a stable bearing the entire width of the roller. By making the roller of increased width, which I have found must exceed three-fourthsthe diameter,1 am enabled to substitute glass or vitreous material for the materials heretofore employed, combining strength, lightness, and elegance, affording a hard, almost frictionless, bearing on the axle, and avoiding the use of the bushing employed in ordinary rollers. Owing to the nature of the vitreous material, a parlor-skate provided with glass or vitreous rollers possesses an important advantage over one having rollers of wood or hard rubber. When wood, hard rubber, or similar material is used for the rollers, constant use will polish the bearing-edge so that the roller is apt to slip under the lateral thrust on the skate, especially upon highly-polished wood or other floors. A roller of vitreous material, however, even it applied to the skate with a glazed edge, will, in a little time, become scratched and broken, until the edge is in the'condition it is left after grinding, and is maintained in this condition by use, so as to take a firm'hold upon the supportin g-surface, and effectuall y prevent lateral slipping. When the glass roller is employed, it is preferable to grind the face or, .to give it a better hold on the supporting surface. Where glass rollers are not employed, the frictionless bearing may be still obtained by inserting a glass or vitreous sleeve or bushing in the ordinary roller. It will be apparent that one wide and o'ue'narrow roller may be a used.

In my former skates, the spring It passed laterally through the stud b, the lateral opening weakening the stud, and the abrupt bending of the spring tending to break the latter.

2 iSI.86S

By bending the end of the spring upward, and fitting it to a socket in an axial direction in the stud, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the strength of the stud is not materially impaired, While the spring will turn in the socket, thus avoiding the abrupt bend and danger of breaklng.

I am aware that glass and vitreous rollers have been employed in casters, and that glass wheels and pulleys have been used; but I am not aware that a glass roller or wheel has ever been provided with a roughened periphery, for an y purpose.

I claim- 1. A roller-skate provided with two swiveling-rollers, each pivoted in front of its bearing beneath one end of a tilting-stock, and having its hearing at the rear of said pivot exceeding 

